Saturday, May 26, 2007

Hi all... will be be away for a couple of days...Dad's bypass is on the 29th... so going home. He'll be admitted on the 28th - which is his birthday and that really sucks...Please pray everything goes okay. My dad's someone I have never seen weak.. so this is beyond difficult for me...At home everyone sees me as the strong one maybe even a little 'cold' but when it comes to dad all defenses are down... and it's terrible...I have a huge family with lots of aunts and uncles. They all like to bond in times such as this... which is of course really good... but I'm not used to people as I always was a little antisocial, hung out with a select group of friends... so I'm clueless when it comes to interacting with huge groups of relative in times of personal pain... they expect you to share what you are going through with them...and I don't like others to see my tears.....its probably the only time when being with other people is as if not more difficult than being aloneAnyway all that's secondary...as this is not about me... its about dad!!So please say a little prayer...

Friday, May 25, 2007

... sounds sentimental and all... but I'm so glad to have met all of you... the amazing people I've met through blogging... so different from each other yet all so unique... you make my day special, and I learn something new and get re-acquainted with something old...every day

I have a serious problem connecting with people in 'real' life... lots of barriers that I just can't seem to cross to arrive at a natural comfortable point... all of it so forced and artificial.

But here, in this very special universe... making contact with everyone... I'm so much more in my element... away from all physical distractions... a little vulnerable, a little armored...

Enjoying these beautiful random encounters with so many facets of myself and of you....

Thursday, May 24, 2007

So I was debating whether I should list 13 of my favourite books or go in a totally opposite direction and list 13 jokes for 6-year olds. And the silly side won...they are childish but make me laugh...highlight to see more clearly...

Warning: The matter below is seriously corny and childish...read at your own peril

1. What did one eye say to the other?Between you and me, something smells!

2. What did the tie say to the hat?You go on a head, I will just hang around!

3. What did the ghost say to the invisible man?Long time no see!

4. What did the doctor say to the man who complained he was shrinking?You will just have to be a little patient!

5. What did the math book say to the history book?Boy, do I have problems!

6. What did the cherry tree say to the farmer?Quit picking on me!

7. Why did Cinderella's coach sit her on the benchBecause she ran away from the ball!

8. When is a car not a car?When it turns into a driveway!

9. Why did the farmer bury all his money in his fields?He wanted rich soil

10. What do you get when you cross SpongeBob with Albert Einstein?SpongeBob Smartypants

11. What did the banana do when it heard the ice scream?It split

12. Why does Oklahoma need a telescope?To see what Arkansas!

13. Why did the cookie go to the doctor?Because it was feeling crummy

Links to other Thursday Thirteens!(leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!)

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

Wednesday, May 23, 2007

I have often wondered if when we see our face in the mirror it is the same face other people see when they look at us. Of course there will be some correspondence or similarity between what I see myself as and the what others see me as...but I wonder how much?

If the phrase 'Beauty is in the eye of the Beholder' is true than I wonder how big the difference would be.

Sometimes when you think you are not exactly looking your best [euphemism for pretty darned awful] you'll end up getting get compliments and think to yourself, 'huh really?' or 'wonder what he/she wants'. And when you think you're looking good someone will ask, 'What's the matter, you look pulled down'. And all you can do is smile inanely...

And not only that, aren't there days when you seem different to even your own self, some days you like what you see in the mirror and then there are days that you want to break the damn mirror...

Of course it's not our face that changes [its a different story if a zit shows up unannounced and unwanted] but our brain/mind whatever the jargon you want to use, tricks us.

And then of course there is the 'why now?' phenomenon... have you noticed how everything looks perfect when you are just about to go to bed.. hair is shiny, skin's glowing ... but fast forward to when you want to dazzle on a special evening... no matter what you do nothing seems to work. Probably that's something to do with expectations... I have found everything in life turns out the most fabulous when your expectations are really low!

I am sure you have said many a times or thought many times that someone thinks they are better looking than they really are..but perhaps they see themselves that way and its not an act.What if we appeared slightly different to everyone that saw us?

Wouldn't it be fascinating if we could have alternate views of ourselves [without the help of psychogenics ideally] and be able to see what others see when they look at our face?

I really would love to see myself through someone else's eyes...physically. Because the only way we see ourself is through a mirror or a photograph... not the way others see us. Not truthfully! Mirrors can lie and so can photographs!

Actually it's a pretty funny thought that others might have more of an accurate picture of what we look like than we do ourselves... because come to think of it we only see reproductions of our face. Second generation information.

So wouldn't you like to see yourself through someone else's eyes??? Literally!!!

Sunday, May 20, 2007

We had gone to watch a movie on Friday with a friend and his family and as always show me a sad scene in a movie and the waterworks start. The strangest thing is that I don’t cry easily regarding personal stuff [I hate anyone seeing me cry, hubby is the only exception]. At the end of the movie he asked me why do we cry at movies. Is it because in daily life we suppress our emotions and they get released like this or is it that there is something in the movie we are identifying with. I was intrigued so I thought I’d do some research on the psychology of crying.

Why do we cry? Here are some things I discovered.

Crying is a complicated process not as easy as the trickle of spontaneity that happens at times. First of all, there are really three different types of tears. Basal tears keep our eyes lubricated constantly. Reflex tears are produced when our eyes get irritated, like with onions or when something gets into our eyes. The third kind of tear is produced when the body reacts emotionally to something, emotional tears. Each type of tear contains different amounts of chemical proteins and hormones.

Scientists have discovered that the emotional tears contain higher levels of manganese and the hormone prolactin, and this contributes in a reduction of both of these in the body; thus helping to keep depression away. Many people have found that crying actually calms them after being upset, and this is in part due to the chemicals and hormones that are released in the tears.

In The Expression of Emotions in Man and Animals, Charles Darwin listed three reasons for the secretion of tears: “The primary function of the secretion of tears, with some mucus, is to lubricate the surface of the eye, and a secondary one, as some believe, is to keep the nostrils damp, so that the inhaled air may be moist, and likewise to favour the power of smelling. But another, and at least equally important function of tears is to wash out particles of dust or other minute objects which may get into the eyes” (Darwin, 1872: 169). In Darwin’s view, the excretion of emotional tears was related to the first function.

The philosopher William James, following Darwin, considered emotions to be little different from reflexes, occurring without prior rational thought. Only after experiencing the bodily sensations of, say, anger or fear, James argued, do we cognitively recognize the emotions.

But this does not explain why the bodily sensations arise in the first place. How does it happen? Why do we start crying? What emotional response triggers it?

An emotional response to stimuli acts as a trigger. These responses could have a lot of sources, pain or loss of a loved one, an internal response that is triggered when we feel hurt, when someone is mean to us or insults us, rage causes tears, feelings of helplessness makes us cry in frustration. When emotions affect us, the nervous system stimulates the cranial nerve, in the brain and this sends signals to the neurotransmitters to the tear glands. And so the first tear trickles down.

There are many culturally acceptable reasons to cry in society. The first accepted reason to cry is probably death. Grieving includes crying and often times it was believed that if someone did not cry, they would suffer physically because they did not release their pain. Experiences in life and love are other reasons society allows us to cry. Women have been allowed to cry more than men traditionally, but the benefits of crying seem to suggest that men need to cry more. Cultures around the world have crying out of obligation, for show, and for grief and pain. Each culture defines where and when it is acceptable to cry. Cultures, in some parts of the world, sometimes determine the length of crying and mourning. For example, in the Zuni culture, a chief allows the mourners of the dead to cry for four days after which the chief says that the death occurred four years ago, and now the mourning may end.

Crying and tears may be favored by natural selection because they bring about helping behavior by the spectator. This helping behavior is explained by the assumption that crying and tears “imitate” some of the perceivable characteristics of a baby that has just been born (e.g., wet face, facial expressions, respiratory sounds). If human parents and people in general are “programmed” by evolution to feel the need to help and protect when they see (and hear) newborns, then when non-neonates are in need, the appearance and the behavior that together show resemblance to the neonate may have survival value at some essential points during phylogeny and, thus, may spread in the human species.

But none of this research still answered my original question – our brain knows when we are watching a movie it is fiction then why do we cry?

Friday, May 18, 2007

Intro:Lately I seem to be surrounded by high relationship dramas of he said, she said. Since these days I’m so obsessed with blogging, I thought why not share my thoughts with you - my whacky theory about Adam, Eve and their blasted apple.

Even people reading this who don’t believe in religion are familiar with Adam and Eve right? so don't go all judgmental but read with a pinch of salt

PrologueEve forces Adam out of Heaven…

Story Begins…He never forgave her for it and neither have the generations of men following. Their collective consciousness, as I like to think of it, still harbors unconscious and for some very conscious resentment of all Eves.

Everything that goes wrong in their life is traced back to a woman, from a crappy boss to a bad job to a miserable life – it is all her fault as after all it was a woman who displaced the prince from the throne

Sometimes I think all this trouble for one measly apple?

But of course it wasn’t really about the apple was it.

Eve didn’t really care about the apple it didn’t matter whether it was sweet or sour and she didn’t particularly want to eat it either. She wanted to see if she could make Adam have it… prove his love so to speak [and so came the snake slithering in…]

The apple was never the issue - the issue was power - hers over him.

Story Continues...And to this day the same story continues. All relationships are power games, some very subtle and running totally undercover and others not so subtle. There are apples all around disguised in so many shapes and forms, some cajoling, others shoving it down someone’s throat. And the name of the snake in this story is power a.k.a control

In the beginning the power issue is covered by the headiness of new love, couples lost in the hazy glow of love, ecstatic with euphoria, which they insist on sharing with all and sundry in unabashed displays of public affection. So what if 6 months down the road we have our aforementioned friend rear its smooth, round and perfectly delicious head.

Of course any reading this post currently in that particular phase of love will shake their heads disdainfully – but you’ll see what I mean. It happens to everyone even people happily married. Power and its distribution is what makes everything run. The human race is all about 'survive or perish' and to survive we need power – either to relinquish all of it or to wield it.Not to digress from the topic of relationship [wonder if I ever got there] of men, women and of course apples… basically we repeat and relive the Adam, Eve saga with bizarre twists and storylines

The Adam who likes to think he is in control but isn’t meets the Eve who actually is

In this case our Adam likes to think he has the power and is a forceful, dominating person but actually isn’t. If humans behaved rationally he would be attracted to an Eve who would cajole, feed and flatter him, and make a nice pie out of that apple… he would do anything for her – you could maybe even find him putting the toilet seats down and or helping Eve with household chores. I think I'm getting too fanciful here...All he needs is a couple of massages, nicely cooked meals not necessarily every day, compliments and to be made to feel like he is indeed the king of the castle.But of course human nature being perverse there are far more chances that he will be attracted to an altogether different sort of Eve... this one means business. No flattery or massages here.She won’t let him get away with pretending he is running the show... its equal or nothing. Apple sliced down straight in the middle.Of course initially poor Adam huffs and puffs trying to bring the house down... he shouts and throws a tantrum she throws a bigger one…

There are other scenarios…Control Freak Eve and an even more controlling AdamPassive Aggressive Eve and a slightly dominating Adam [that’s me and hubby]

…. But their tales can wait, for now I’m going to eat my apple!

DISCLAIMER: This article is not meant to offend anyone and if it did it’s all the fault of the apple on my right ;)

Thursday, May 17, 2007

Thirteen Happy Moments had in the past year [at least the ones I have pictures of]

Have to admit I stole the idea from Empress Bee [please don't have me beheaded.. my only sin was a brain 'less' of ideas]

1. Hubby's Birthday [May 15, 2007]

2. This was a seriously amazing cake & looked beautiful too.. with fruits sprinkled with golden dust3. Sweets for my sweet4. My 3 loves5. Aby & I at his mom's house on our last visit6. The ultimate thrill of all times...7. My best friend [at some birthday]

8. Aby & I chillin' [thats the Burj-Al-Arab in the background]9. At Cirque Du Soliel - they performed in Dubai recently.10. Posin' away with my uber cool mom-in-law [that was a happy happy day]

11. At a rocking party12. At 360 [a cool bar on top of a hotels roof]13. Mall of Emirates [they keep having random stuff - its fun to watch]

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

Blogging is one of the most symbiotic relations there can be. Meaning that we all depend on each other. Why do people have blogs? It's a way for some to reach out to others, for some to share with others, for some to teach. In short we all want an audience.

This is one of the few times in life that people choose you on the basis of your inner self - not the way you look. It's nice to meet people and so liberating to let go and write without fear of censure or judgment.

Of course for it to succeed like any other symbiosis both parties have to benefit and that is where the amazing system of comments comes in. Anyone reading this will know - its quite an amazing feeling when someone takes the time and effort to leave behind what they think whether its a single line or a bigger explanation.

So much better than than just seeing an avatar in 'Recent Readers' widget.

It's the best way to introduce yourself - form a relation, a network that slowly expands and you build a group of people who become your familiars...and is it happens in a symbiotic relation its the best way for not only the person you left a comment for to reach your blog but also other people who have visited that blog. I know I check out a lot of blogs of the people who leave comments not only on my blog but other blogs...

A comment is a snapshot of you and your blog! And you never know who you will meet as a result of extending a small courtesy of taking your times and writing something and acknowledging another's existence.

It's just a nice thing to do - it makes me happy leaving comments, leaving traces of my presence in someone else's world!

Its just like saying hello when you meet someone for the first time or visit their house!!!

Can we live our lives in a day ?Can that day hold more joy for us than a lifetime?A lifetime of meaningless smiles and studied perfection?Light and dark...Can we take the performance any longer?Even if we get the prize of performanceThe prize for surviving... the prize for just making it through...the party we celebratePopulated by people laughing to cover the deafening silenceDesperately trying not to find anything meaningfulNo one who wants to talk about anything that mattersAnd how we try to captureEverything that happens in a momentThe history of our feelingsOf who we were onceCan anyone put that down on paperCan anyone capture the momentAnd if we do..If we do..Won't it start meaning less... no matter where we start

Tuesday, May 15, 2007

I used to be a person who only loved black and almost all my clothes were black and then suddenly one day I just stopped finding black such a fascinating colour [actually black is the shade of objects that do not reflect light in any part of the visible spectrum. Scientifically black is not a hue (color); a black object absorbs all the colors of the visible spectrum and reflects none of them, this is sometimes confused with black being called 'a mixture of all colors' but that is not the case]Colours affect many aspects of our life, our moods and perceptions and they have physical as well as psychological effects. Haven't you sometimes entered a room and immediately felt one with it or just fell in love with it? It's because colours vibrate at different frequencies and create a reaction in all of us.

The symbolism of colours in different religions and countries and how they affect health

PURPLE

Purple is traditionally worn by priests for ceremonies

Thailand: Color of mourning (widows)

Western: Royalty

Positive: Encourages dignity and respect; helps to stabilize the hormones; can help with stressNegative: Avoid if you lack stamina or are feeling sensitive

Positive:Calms tension and induces life changes; reduces swelling, heals cuts and bruises, and soothes burns and headachesNegative: Avoid if you are depressed; it is not stimulating and can increase feeling of isolation

Positive: Soothes the emotions and is good for general healing and restoring the body cells and lung problems. Dissolves blood clotsNegative: Can bring about stagnation, repression and feelings of jealousy [I guess that's why they call it he little green monster ;)]

YELLOW

For Hindus, bright yellow represents light, truth and immortality

For Buddhists it is a sacred colour - their monks wear saffron robes

China: Nourishing

Egypt: Color of mourning

Japan: Courage

India: Merchants

Western: Hope, hazards, coward

Positive: Brings inspiration and good self-expression, beneficial for indigestion and inflammatory problems of the joints and body tissues

Negative: Can cause irritability and exhaustion and may cause further self-criticism

ORANGE

In Japan and China orange is the colour of love and happiness

Western: Halloween (with black), creativity, autumn

Positive: Helps creativity, relieves headaches and colds and improves the functioning of the heartNegative: Not good if you feel frustrated or sad, aggravates feeling of nausea

Monday, May 14, 2007

I live in a strange land with strange people - so advanced yet so primitive at the same time.

It truly is a land of extremes but the great thing about it is, that it lets people be whoever they choose to be. In the same space you will see a girl in the shortest of short skirts and a woman who is covered from head to toe literally...

But we all do manage to co-exist.

It is a land of immense wealth, the malls are truly made like palaces and every designer in the world can be found here. People can be seen around with their Burberry and Loius Vuitton bags... kings and queens of their respective castles.

There is this obsession with having suffixes attached to everything - Dubai already has the world's tallest hotel, vastest man-made harbor and biggest indoor ski area.

Workers are now raising an office tower expected to be the world's tallest building, while plans are underway to build the globe's largest shopping mall, the biggest airport and a resort featuring full-size replicas of the Eiffel Tower and the Taj Mahal.

Recently I had come across some blog which said that Dubai didn't have any bars and I almost died laughing - there are numerous bars here and dance music is especially popular.

It's rocking here! Everyone drinks but they are extremely hard on drugs and you are liable to be put in jail even if you have had a joint outside of Dubai but they find traces of drugs in your system

The rents increase exponentially and getting a taxi is the hardest thing you can do - and the heat will - well the heat will boil you in the summers. But they have a ski slope in a mall.

A frickin' SKI SLOPE in a desert in a mall!!!

And the cars!

You'll see the best cars from Lamborghini's to Ferraris. I even saw an Enzo Ferrari here once. Every car imaginable from a stretch Hummer to a SLR, you fantasize about it and you see it!

Nobody likes self service here and mostly every place, people serve you. There is no concept of throwing your empty coke and fries into the bin after eating at McDonalds- the cleaning guy will come and do it. Everyone changes here - even the expats.

It assimilates people into its way of life and its luxuries.Nannies for kids, spas, regular manicures and pedicures and blow dries.{Thank God I haven't YET been affected by the disease thats because I am a lazy bum;)]

Just a couple of projects to give you all an idea: [this is just the icing]

About Bawadi"Launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, in May 2006, Bawadi is the world’s largest hospitality and leisure development, including the world’s largest shopping experience. The AED 100 billion project will feature 31 hotels, including Asia Asia – with 6,500 rooms. In total the City of Bawadi will offer more than 29,000 rooms.The world’s largest shopping area, which will offer over 40 million square feet of gross lease-able area (GLA).

'The towers incorporate avant-garde definitions of functionality and form that will not only create a distinctive landmark at Business Bay, but also symbolises a new phase in Dubai's architectural standards.'

The towers are inter-twinned to share programmatic elements and rotate to maximize the views from the site towards the creek and neighbouring developments.

Note to self: I wonder how the elevators would work in this

Dubai Towers - Dubai

Inspired by the movement of candles this is a stunning piece of architecture - it will be surrounded by seven lush green islands.

Dubai Towers labels itself as the ultimate 'corporate experience'.

Like I said we love using superlatives here in Dubai

Dubai Hydropolis - underwater resort[seriously!]

Hydropolis, billed as 'the underwater ultra luxury resort hotel' was supposed to be completed by October 2006 but has now been delayed till end of this year. It will be located on the coastline of Dubai, already home to the Burj al-Arab, the world's first seven star hotel, and the site where construction is currently underway on The Palm, a resort comprising two vast man made islands which will be visible from space.

Joachim Hauser describes the concept for the hotel thus: "With Hydropolis an habitat will materialise for the first time worldwide which sets completely new standards with respect to the quality of experience and living. Hydropolis provides an ambiance in the last uninhabited frontiers on earth in which a visit will be an unforgettable experience in the life of each individual guest..."

The 107,700 m2 development will be built at a depth of 20m, around 300m from the coastline. It will be structured in three elements: a land station, connecting tunnel, and submarine complex.

But right now none of it is ready so all you see is construction. Investors from across the world are pouring in money, turning the city into a giant construction site. More than 50 skyscrapers are going up simultaneously, and it is said that about 30 percent of the world's cranes are in Dubai.

The traffic is insane - the metro is under construction and will be ready by 2010.

Environmentalists say that the construction of man-made islands on Dubai's coast is destroying coral, sea grasses and oyster beds, as well as killing fish and sea turtles.

The islands are also disrupting the natural currents of the gulf, leading to erosion of Dubai's white-sand beaches.

About Me

My Blog: An Introduction

After seeing a lot of blogs I pondered over what made them fun. I came to the conclusion that all the ones I liked were the ones in which the authors were sharing their everyday life. As I am given to philosophical ramblings on a daily basis that will be part of my blog. But since we can't be answering life's penultimate questions 24/7 the rest I'll devote to my interests. It will be a smörgåsbord that will truly reflect the disturbed mess my brain is. You'll go from one extreme in which you'll find me wrestling with the enormity of life's various puzzles, to the other where you will learn how to set up a room to attract success through Feng Shui.Anyway reader.... welcome to my randomness and my blog